Rich Coconut Layer Cake

As with many of my recipes, this Rich Coconut Layer Cake is based on bits and pieces of several similar recipes first written by others. To make the preparation easy, bake and fill the layers individually, then freeze before making the icing and assembling.

1. For the Cake:
2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Coat three 9 inch cake pans with baking spray and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until very well creamed together. Mix in the egg whites and then the whole egg. Gradually add the flour and coconut milk to the creamed mixture in several additions, beginning and ending with flour. Do not over-mix. Add the vanilla.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cake just begins to pull away at the sides.
5. Allow the cake to cool slightly in the pans before removing to add the filling.
6. For the Filling:
7. While the cake is baking, stir all the filling ingredients together until well blended and set aside.
8. One at a time, invert each layer onto a parchment or plastic wrap covered plate. Poke the cake all over with the wrong end of a wooden spoon. Spread one third of the filling over each layer.
9. At this point the cake can be assembled and frosted or the layers can be individually wrapped and frozen.
10. For the Frosting:
11. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine all the frosting ingredients.
12. Beat the frosting for a full ten minutes, scraping down the sides a couple of times.
13. For Assembly:
14. Build the cake by spreading a thin layer of frosting between each layer, then generously frosting the stacked layers. Pat the whole cake with the canned coconut flakes.